The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-12-10
THE EsQUIMAux

A summary Of Lieutenant sc,-..
'sf.a'io"' Among This Northern a.. 9
Lieutenant schwatka descri,s. 'a
interesting customs OF the Esou'.aa nag
observed in his Arctic expl Ir,,aaal
They live in small scattered It oos''u
ties in ice-houses called ig,oo, ''u'aaa'
constantly shifting from old "a ala ~
constructed villages. These Ijs,, ' wv
munlties are entirely independsas '0A
other; Tho people have potA tne an|
semDllng organized g%overnmen,' 'ns re-
ola men OF a tribe are its corr, Ih(
but their authority, though I usna1l
spected, is in no sense Obligatory 'iS n
staple food is the flesh Of tba al. laa
the sal. which is eaten oftene, I'll, TX and
than cooked. The fresh blood ~ ifo1ed
slain game ID keenly relisbea. u newly
most delicious luxury is obi,i rat " !
opening the bodies Of youpa an;a, "
killed Immediately after hssva aAl sm
themselves with their mo,h hase llsa
and drinking the hot milk fran mix mix,
stomachs. ''m their
II strangers approach IN Esou;m
village the inhabitants d%issnnaaua
their tgloos and send out their ~ nj
en- to meet them. They make no "u uaa
tense OF Disgusting their rea IONS ~ ~, pre-
custom. namely, that, of a ltheirn oos s1s
the OLD women are Of least accornpt tupe'
II anybody is to be killed, thew can nI H.
most conveniently spared. IF tba ~ 10
women return with messages Of nss oa
the strangers are at once admitted IN ~,
inequalities of the community. I H., .ne !.
the old women are kiilel ''' ~ y
driven in, the people prepare for b,tI "
and fight with desperation. This so1
dom occurs, because animositias ha
tween the tribes rarely result in hostiI;.
ties. and the natives are nc,er iniuras
by civiliz3d foreigners. '"'''
There is no punishment for cr;mo
Offenses of all kinds are OF infrem.s.
occurrence, and are generally Sous
doned by some trifing com.
.pensation to the sufferer. Ii mur1ori !,
committed the criminal is rco,,raI Nv
The Old men to pay to the widow
Or relatives Of his victim, a penalty con-.
OF a prescribed quantity of meat
and skins. If he refuses 10 nav hi,
penalty, he is in disgrace and suffer-,
social ostracism, which subjects him f..
such inconvenience that, usually, he i,
speedily subjugated, and upon comnli.
ance is restored to responsibility.
Marriage is sacredly binding upm III.
wife, but the husband may. 1t pleasure,
Modify her marital b legations or al.
'orce her absolutely. tbs Esouimon
hunter takes his wife ard ciiIIren
With him wherever he goes. He under.
axes no expedition for hunting CT any
'ther purpose requiring an absence Of
more than one day, unaccompaned by
'is entire family. schwatks
elates an amusing incident illustrative
# both this custom and The marital
PRACTICES Of these primitive people.
'chwatka was about starting on a trim
equiring an absence of some weeks from
is camp, which was in one of the ma.
I've villages.
30, his Esquimau guide. was TO pilot
ne expedition. 10 had g wife and
even children. But 10 refused to 20,
n any terms, unaccompaniad by his
Presently it was remembered
rat 10 had a personal friend in the VII.
lge who had q wife and no children.
nd after some diplomacy it was ar.
'nged that, for the purpose, and dur.
g the term of this expedition, 10 and
is friend should swap wives; and &C.
'rdingly JOS wife and her seven chill.
rem remained with his friend. and the
wife went with 10. Upon their
turn they snapped back, and the for.
ler relations were happily resumed.
The Esquimaux, as the ages pass,
increase nor diminish in mum.
'rs. Their civilization neither Do.
ines nor advances. They are Of no
slue to the world, but they do i 0
'rm. Their country being worthless,
=